Xindi-Aquatic
"It is easier to count the stars in the sky, than for an Aquatic to come to a decision." The Xindi Aquatics are a non-humanoid race that has evolved to living underwater. They are one of the six original species of Xindi, with whom they share a common genetic ancestry. Overview They are complicated and enigmatic and have been known to overanalyze, taking an excruciatingly long period of time to come to decisions. They once took six days to agree to attend a specific meeting of the Council. However, the Aquatics' prudence was at times what kept the Council from breaking apart, which is why Degra had them build the weapon. They respond better to visual stimuli and are extremely suspicious of the spoken word. They admire boldness and confidence and treat hushed tones with suspicion. One of their representatives to the Xindi Council is Kiaphet Amman'sor, a member of the extremely wealthy Ibix Dynasty. She wields considerable power within the Xindi hierarchy. (ENT: "The Council") :The Aquatics had another representative on the council, a male, but he was never named. Physiology The Aquatic females are larger and have rougher skin than the males who are more slim and have smoother skin. Females have a more humanoid looking face, where as male faces are rounder. They have slit-like irises in their eyes and are capable of seeing far better underwater than humanoids. Aquatics have three fingers on each forelimb, ending in short fingernail-like claws, with webbing in between for easier swimming. Their skin is a greenish shade and has blotches of olive. Like all Xindi, they have a fold at the top of their cheekbone. They have tails for maneuverability and their hind limbs are fins. :An in-depth look into the differences between male and female Aquatics, and their physical characteristics, is included in an article in "Star Trek: Communicator" Issue 149 concerning how the Aquatic CGI was designed. Language Xindi-Aquatic communication is highly complex and being underwater beings, do not use their mouths. When using the past tense, they switch to sonar. (ENT: "The Council") :The Xindi-Aquatic language is not dissimilar to that of the humpback whales. :Seeing as their language would have to be produced under water, how the Xindi Aquatic language would be able to translate into a proper name such as "Kiaphet Amman'sor" is unknown. History During the Great Diaspora in the 2030s, the different Xindi species' engaged in civil war that ended with the destruction of their homeworld. The Xindi Aquatics, like all the Xindi, had to colonize other worlds in order to survive. It was thanks to the Guardians that they were able to do this, who led them to habitable worlds. The Xindi were then taught to think of them as god-like beings. :It is probable that Azati Prime is one of the Aquatics colonies. In the 2140s, the Guardians warned the Xindi Council that unless they destroy Earth, the humans there would destroy their future homeworld. The Aquatics were originally against the building of a superweapon, however, they changed their minds after the Guardians presented a visual record of their future world's destruction. They eventually agreed to create it and were assigned to build the Xindi weapon, because they were the most level-headed and efficient. The weapon was built underwater on Azati Prime. (ENT: "Stratagem", "Azati Prime") In late 2152, they agreed to the launch of a miniature prototype weapon, which killed seven million people on Earth. This led to the humans sending ''Enterprise'' into the expanse to stop the weapon. Through out the following year, the Council would monitor their advancement, as the Reptilians and Insectoids suggested alternate ways of exterminating the humans. At the council meetings, the Aquatic councillors would often be the more balanced and level-minded members, suggesting that they continue monitoring them instead of sending a fleet to destroy them right away. (ENT: "The Expanse", "The Xindi") In 2153, after finding the location of the weapon, Captain Jonathan Archer, of the Earth ship Enterprise tried to use the Insectoid shuttle to get into the weapon and destroy it, but was captured before he could do so. While he was away, the Xindi-Reptilians and Insectoids opened fire on Enterprise, nearly destroying it. (ENT: "Azati Prime") Degra didn't trust Captain Archer, but couldn't let the possibility that he was telling the truth go. He had the Aquatics, the only ones he could trust, transport him back to Enterprise. After he briefly regained consciousness aboard their vessel, he was put in an escape pod and left adrift for Enterprise to find. In early 2154, after the Xindi council ordered the reptilians to cease their attack on Enterprise, and release Captain Archer, he was given to the Aquatics. The Aquatics then took him part of the way, and released him in an escape pod, where Enterprise later retrieved him. (ENT: "Damage") The Aquatics finally decided to help the humans, when Enterprise promised to destroy the sphere-network. They sent several of their ships to fight the Reptilians and the Insectoids with Enterprise, the Arboreals and the Primates. Ultimately, most of their fleet was defeated when the sphere-builders triggered the spheres to create massive anomalies, which breached the hulls of the Aquatic ships, releasing water into space. (ENT: "Countdown", "Zero Hour") Technology Their ships are the most powerful and largest of the Xindi races, but compared to Primate and Insectoid ships, they are among the slowest and least maneuverable. Aquatic starships have to have every compartment filled with water for its crew. However, there is at least one room that can be used to house a humanoid and filled with breathable air, that has a window to water for Xindi to talk with them. (ENT: "Damage") The largest of their cruisers resemble huge Terran manta rays and are large enough to comfortably accommodate an NX class vessel in its aft cargo hold. They were extremely powerful in comparison to other Xindi, destroying several Reptilian and Insectoid ships with ease at the final battle against the Xindi superweapon. It was only because of the immense anomaly field that they were disabled. The Aquatics were the inventors of the biometric hologram, which is used to train Xindi surgeons. The Xindi Council chambers was also fit with biometric holograms, as they were used to project view screens, and images of human physiology for use in the creation of a bioweapon, as attained by Rajiin. (ENT: "Rajiin", "The Council") Starship classes * Xindi-Aquatic cruiser * Xindi-Aquatic escape pod * Xindi-Aquatic scoutship Background All Xindi-Aquatics, like the Xindi-Insectoids, were computer generated characters. In an interview on February 25th 2005, Dan Curry explained that the Xindi Aquatics were based on "a little known dinosaur, the Mosasaurus." Curry's sketches outlining the "evolution" of the Xindi-Aquatic design were featured in the April/May issue of Star Trek Communicator: Issue 149 (shown on right). It also included the various stages involved in creating the layers for the final CGI product. Category:Species Category:Xindi de:Xindi-Aquarianer